President Bola Ahmed Tinubu and French President Emmanuel Macron on Sunday held high-level talks on Nigeria’s deepening security crisis, as pressure mounts from the United States over allegations of widespread Christian persecution and mass killings across the country.
Macron, in a message posted on X, said he spoke with Tinubu to express France’s solidarity and commitment to helping Nigeria confront the escalating violence. He disclosed that France would strengthen its partnership with Nigerian authorities, particularly in combating terrorist threats in the northern region. According to him, the move follows a direct request from Tinubu. He further called on international partners to intensify their engagement, declaring that no one should remain a spectator while Nigeria battles multiple security threats.
The conversation comes just days after Tinubu swore in newly appointed Defence Minister, Gen. Christopher Musa (retd.), with a stern charge to deliver swift and measurable results. It also coincides with rising global attention on insecurity in Nigeria following a surge in kidnappings, school abductions and attacks across several northern states.
In Abuja, a United States Congressional delegation met with National Security Adviser, Nuhu Ribadu, to discuss the reported persecution of Christians and the broader security situation. The meeting, attended by the US Ambassador to Nigeria, Richard Mills, forms part of Washington’s intensified scrutiny of Nigeria’s human rights and religious freedom record. The visit follows Donald Trump’s recent redesignation of Nigeria as a “Country of Particular Concern” and his controversial threat to invade the country over alleged genocide. Ribadu described the engagement as part of ongoing consultations to deepen cooperation on counter-terrorism, regional stability and intelligence partnerships.
US Representative Riley Moore, who was part of the delegation, later said he had concluded a “productive visit to Nigeria,” noting that he came “in the name of the Lord and on behalf of the American people.” He, however, provided no details about the officials he met.
In a separate development, US officials made a discreet visit to Benue State, meeting Governor Hyacinth Alia, Catholic bishops and the Tor Tiv. Although the purpose of the visit was not publicly disclosed, analysts believe it is linked to US investigations into alleged religious genocide in the state. Religious leaders including Bishop Wilfred Anagbe and the Tor Tiv have repeatedly raised alarm over mass killings, with the Tor Tiv describing the situation as “nothing but genocide” during Tinubu’s recent visit. Governor Alia, however, insists the killings are not religiously motivated and accused political actors of exaggerating the crisis.
Meanwhile, unconfirmed reports suggest that the Federal Government has secured the release of 100 of the students abducted from St. Mary’s Catholic School, Papiri, in Niger State. The children were among 315 persons kidnapped when bandits stormed the school on November 21. While 50 escaped earlier, 253 children and 12 teachers remain missing. During a recent visit to the school, Ribadu assured parents that the children would return home, saying evil “will never win.”
The worsening situation in northern Nigeria has also drawn criticism from within the country. Former presidential aspirant and businessman Gbenga Hashim blamed northern political elites for decades of failed governance, arguing that chronic poverty and neglect have fueled extremist recruitment. He welcomed the appointment of Defence Minister Musa but warned that Nigerians are tired of rhetoric and want concrete action. Hashim urged lawmakers to fast-track legislation for state and local policing, insisting that Nigeria cannot win the security war without stronger local structures.
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At a security conference in Kaduna, Professor Abubakar Siddique of Ahmadu Bello University painted a bleak picture of the region. He noted that 65 per cent of Nigerians classified as multidimensionally poor live in the North, where millions of children remain out of school and youth unemployment is soaring. He warned that a dangerous “poverty–insecurity trap,” worsened by desertification and economic stagnation, threatens national cohesion. According to him, Boko Haram alone has killed over 35,000 people and displaced millions since 2009, while banditry and kidnappings have devastated hundreds of communities.
The conference, which brought together former military leaders, academics and policymakers, also paid tribute to the late General Hassan Katsina. Speakers hailed his integrity, discipline and role in preserving national unity during and after the civil war, describing him as a patriot whose leadership remains a benchmark for today’s embattled political class.
